Counting Dollars 5 Years Into Iraq War

Last month marked the five-year point in our nation’s long struggle in Iraq. It has not been easy, cheap or without the loss of life and treasure. But you already knew that.

In the past year, however, we have seen some remarkable successes. The failures and setbacks have been diminished. In spite of the isolated suicide attacks, reluctance of the Iraqi army and police force to aggressively pursue the extremists in their midst, and the Iraqi national government to move more swiftly, there have been many positives.

In fact, the prevailing assessment is that we have now, finally, turned the corner, and the potential for a favorable outcome (read: winning) is certainly achievable. But the naysayers, the anti-war crowd, are still not willing to stay the course. Since it is difficult to not recognize the successes, their mantra now is the “cost” of this war is too great. But what about those dollar costs that cover a wide range of estimates, depending on the viewpoint and politics of the estimator?

The financial burdens are heavy. My estimates are in the $750 billion range for five years. But over those same five years, our country has enjoyed a gross domestic product (GDP) of over $60 trillion. Do the math. We can better afford this conflict in that part of the world than to deal with Islamic extremists and terrorists here at home or many other hotspots around the world. (And no, I am not saying that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11.)

I am not an economist, but I can see that, in spite of this heavy financial commitment to that faraway war in Iraq, our economy has still done pretty well. While the housing market recently has been hit hard, we can’t blame that on the war in Iraq. In spite of the recent decline in home prices, most homeowners have still seen a significant value increase over the five-year period.

The price of gas is tragically affecting everybody one way or the other. But most economists blame these prices on worldwide demand, as well as some rather aggressive buyers on the futures market. While many would like to do so, I don’t believe you can place the blame of these excessively high fuel prices on the war In Iraq, either.

On the upside, unemployment has hovered around the traditionally acceptable 5 percent range. I have seen estimates of 10 million jobs created during this period of war abroad.

The problem with these statistics is that they cover the length and breadth of America. But each of us live only one place at a time. We may be living in a region of growth and may be more fortunate economically; or conversely, we may be living in a less fortunate area where layoffs and stagnation are prevalent. But across the length and breadth of this nation, things are still pretty darn good.

The financial costs of this war, like all wars, is a drain on the economy. Yet, the costs of life and limb are far more costly and permanent. Fortunately, we have young, bright, patriotic men and women who sense the value of preserving our way of life, even at the huge personal cost and sacrifice.

We also have some great patriots in the private sector who recognize these sacrifices. This recognition will be very visible on April 26 with a full day of “Salute To Our Troops,” which is being billed as the largest parade ever held in North Carolina. Please visit www.SaluteOurNCTroops.org for a complete picture of that day’s events. Bring your friends and family, and come out and show your support for our uniformed men and women and their families.